Canon Updates Automation Bits

Nov 16, 2020 | Canon, News, Software

Canon released new versions of its software development kit, revving to v13.13.00 to include, among other improvements, support for the M50 Mark II. It also announced a revised Activation Tool for Macintosh (version 1.2). Canon has been keenly opening up its systems for external automation, which has been a significant philosophical shift for the camera giant. The news came in an email sent only to currently registered developers.

In previous camera generations, Canon kept its internal firmware workings obscured, causing the DIY development community to band together to collectively reverse-engineer the workings so as to be able to add functions – an effort that led to the Magic Lantern firmware upgrade system. That effort was largely abandoned as cameras advanced rapidly, and as Canon has started to open allow access to internal controls through a sort of command system called an application programming interface (API).

Camera automation capabilities have been a significant distinguishing factor in certain types of photography, especially major video productions, remote camera setup and operation, and even for consumers who wish to enjoy the use of increasingly popular “dongles” that package custom programs to provide extra features, such as complex timelapse capabilities like bramping.

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